Sam’s Kitchen - Quinoa with Cauliflower and Lemon Zest

I’ve lost so much weight since my trip to Europe (crazy, I know), I’ve been desperate to keep it off. So, I discovered quinoa, and boy, I’ve been missing out! The grain has the texture of barley, but it’s packed with protein. It’s a great replacement for rice and it’s good for you! Here’s a very simple recipe I use for my lunch. The dish is light, refreshing and filling!

Ingredients

1/2lb quinoa
1/2 head of cauliflower broken into bite size pieces
2 lemons (zest and juice)
3tbsp good extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

When I first bought the quinoa from Whole Foods, I did a lot of research on how to cook it. The easiest way I found was to simply use a rice cooker! First wash the quinoa thoroughly and let it soak for 15 minutes. When this is done, place the grain into the rice cooker with a little less than 1 part water. The less water you use, the more bite it has.

Blanch the cauliflower so that it’s still crunchy but the raw taste is cooked out. I cooked these for 3 minutes. Immediately shock in cold water to end the cooking process.

When the quinoa is done, place into a mixing bowl and drizzle in the olive oil and lemon juice. Add lemon zest, cumin, salt, pepper and mix thoroughly. At the last minute, toss in the cauliflower and serve cold. Enjoy!

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Harry & David Royal Riviera Pears

Every Christmas, a family member of mine can expect a box of these Harry & David Favorite Royal Riviera Pears ($29.95). These pears are the juiciest, sweetest, and most tender-ess pears I’ve ever had. You might ask, “Why would someone want a box of fruit for Christmas?” But trust me… no one will be disappointed.

I know it’s after Christmas and that I’m super late with this post, but hey, why not try a box yourself? Harry & David also sells Maverick Pears which are the less pretty version of their Royal Riviera pears. They do have a few imperfections on the outside, but the taste is exactly the same on the inside.

Use the code FSDEL to get 30% off ($18.86 for the Maverick Pears).

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Sam’s Kitchen - Green Tea Matcha Shakes

This is my all time favorite shake to make at home. It’s healthy, refreshing and guilt-free because I use a green powder filled with tons of antioxidants, low fat milk and a little bit of honey.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp green tea matcha powder
3 cups low fat milk
1.5 tbsp honey
4 cups ice

I’ve searched high and low for green tea matcha powder and the only place I can find it is at Whole Foods. Whole Foods does have a variety of green tea matchas ranging from $30 to $7. I opted for the $7 pack. The Rishi Sweet Matcha that I’m currently using tastes great and is slightly sweetened with sugar.

Directions:

Dump the ice, milk, matcha powder and honey in a blender. Usually I eye-ball the ingredients until I get the consistency and flavor that I like. Blend until the ice is crushed into tiny little pieces. One trick is to use tons of ice and less milk because the milk will try to separate from the ice when it starts to melt. More ice also means a thick consistency.

If you want to add a little richness, try adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream before you blend.

Try this:

Mix a teaspoon of green tea matcha powder to hot milk or water for a cozy latte or cup of tea!

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